Entities, from large organizations to individuals, have implemented computer networks at varying sizes and levels of security. Typically, computer networks have allowed entities to connect digital devices and to allow digital devices to share images, files, video, streaming content, and other data. with one another.
Many computer networks have transitioned from using platform-specific protocols toward using general network-addressing protocols, such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Under general network-addressing protocols, devices are assigned unique network addresses used to identify their locations on the network. The location can in turn be used to identify the device as a source or destination of network traffic, and can be appended to a portion of traffic to and from the device. In various systems, the unique network address of a device is typically either statically or dynamically assigned to the device.
Devices coupled to a network including more general protocols usually communicate to one another by broadcasting messages to all devices on a network, multicasting messages to a plurality of devices on the network, or unicasting messages to a single device on the network. It would be desirable to efficiently manage such communications.